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University Updates
Welcome to your regular update
This week in University Updates...
There's an update on upcoming exams and a reminder to take part in the 2021 census if you haven't already. You can also find out about the return of free online yoga classes from your Students' Union, the reopening of the Penryn campus gym and a variety of events to get involved in.
Strategy 2030 – Our second Big Conversation opens next week
Our second Big Conversation will open next Monday 26 April until Friday 7 May and will be available 24/7 during this period. The second conversation will focus on the key themes that will be important for our new strategy and specifically on our vision and behaviours, as well as the goals we want to set ourselves for the next ten years.
We really value your input, so please do take part and share your thoughts. The feedback shared from yourselves, staff and alumni during the first conversation is still being analysed and will be used to help inform some of the discussion areas for this exciting next step. Due to the large amount of interest and input into the development of our new strategy the third conversation will now take place in June. Find out more online.
Returning after spring break? Get COVID-19 tested and grab a free voucher
Thank you to those of you who have engaged with regular testing for COVID-19. If you have been away for the spring break, we expect you to get tested as soon as possible after you return and then regularly twice a week, every week. It’s even more important now because we’ve worked so hard together to control and minimise transmission in our University community and we want to ensure this continues as more students return and activities are able to restart.
To say thanks to everyone getting tested, we’re giving away vouchers and prizes at all of our test centres – book your test now and you could grab a free coffee, treat or maybe a pizza to share with your household.
If you are coming onto the campus irregularly, please get a test each time you come. Booking is simple and the tests are free. Schedule your slots and book in advance:
Book your tests - Penryn Campus
For students currently on placements, please continue to use the testing facilities available to you through your placement and utilise the campus testing facilities when on campus.
Further information can be found on our dedicated student COVID-19 testing webpages. If you receive a positive test result, we ask you inform the University via the form here.
IF YOU HAVE SYMPTOMS OF COVID-19 THE TEST YOU NEED IS DIFFERENT
Remember if you develop COVID-19 symptoms, such as a high temperature, new continuous cough or a loss of taste/smell, you must self-isolate and request a HALO PCR test through our Rapid Response Hub.
Can I have a COVID-19 test during Ramadan?
We have consulted the British Islamic Medical Association and they have advised the following: "Our position is that PCR and LFD tests do not invalidate the fast, which is the opinion of the vast majority of Islamic scholars."
April 24
We have been made aware of rumours circulating online concerning supposed plans for coordinated criminal activity on 24 April. To the best of our knowledge this appears to be a hoax which originated from TikTok and has since spread around the world, designed to cause fear and to play on serious and genuine concerns regarding sexual assault.
We have relayed these rumours to Devon and Cornwall Police and our advice to students and colleagues is to ignore them and not to spread them further.
Any form of violence or sexual violence is a crime and is never acceptable. Threatening violence or sexual assault is reprehensible and can also be a criminal offence. We urge any members of our community who have been subject to threats or assaults to come forward to report them to the University and to the Police. If you have specific information relating to individuals or groups behind threats of sexual violence, including this rumour, then you should always report these to the Police.
We are committed to ensuring effective prevention and effective response to sexual misconduct when such incidents occur and anyone reporting such incidents will be fully supported. Anyone found to be threatening sexual assault will be dealt with through our disciplinary processes and will be referred to the Police.
If you have been affected by these rumours, or by issues concerning sexual violence, then we have lots of information on our Exeter Speaks Out web pages. If you feel talking to someone would help we strongly encourage you to reach out for support from the Student Support team, as well as the Students’ Union Advice Service.
Exams update
Please look out for your final April/May examinations update email, which we will send to you this Thursday, 22 April. It will include all of the up-to-date information you need to help you feel ready to complete your assessments. For more details about your upcoming exams, please visit this webpage.
Exceptional Circumstances policy
We have now finalised the individual student adjustment elements of our No-Disadvantage Guarantee, which we refer to as the Exceptional Circumstances policy.
This policy defines the process by which individual students can make known the exceptional circumstances they may have experienced, during the 2020-21 academic year, as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Exceptional Circumstances differ from those declared for the purposes of Mitigation by their severity and/or duration and their cumulative impact. Students applying under this policy will have had an impact for a significant period, cumulatively more than four weeks or for the whole of the academic year, potentially having an impact on a number of assessments and/or examinations. Exceptional Circumstances should be situations which cannot be accounted for by our standard Mitigation processes or other University support.
Students who have experienced adverse cumulative impact of the COVID-19 pandemic during this academic year can now submit evidence and an application to be considered by the Exceptional Circumstances Committee - with the exception of January PGT starters, who will have an opportunity to do so later in the calendar year. The deadline for receipt of applications is Friday 21 May 2021, and students may only apply once.
The process does not apply to Postgraduate Research Students (e.g. on PhD and other research degrees), who should continue to access the support services and advice provided by the Doctoral College.
There are two parts to the process:
1. The Exceptional Circumstances / Mitigation Committees determine the severity and duration of COVID-related impacts, with a particular focus on the cumulative effects of multiple impacts, and make recommendations to APACs if they consider that students’ grades / grade profiles should receive additional scrutiny.
2. APACs (Assessment, Progression and Awarding Committees) will exercise their academic judgement to determine whether there is evidence of associated impacts on students’ grades / grade profiles. If there have been observable impacts, then APACs will exercise relevant powers (e.g. deferral, set aside, proxy marks, vivas).
Full details of this policy are available within the FAQs, including a link to the application form.
Supporting you
We understand that the exam/coursework period is very challenging, so remember we are still here to support you – wherever you are. The wellbeing webpages contain useful resources which you can access at any time from home. Here are a few:
Silvercloud - offers secure, immediate access to online Cognitive Behavioural Therapy programmes, tailored to your specific needs such as anxiety, stress and many other areas.
Togetherall - provides safe, anonymous online support with trained healthcare professionals 24/7. You can share your experiences anonymously with your peers at any time of the day or night and find support from those experiencing similar difficulties.
Wellbeing Approaches for Covid - Using these approaches may help you reduce the impact of challenges imposed by COVID-19, better manage the demands imposed by your studies and help you maintain your wellbeing.
Mind Over Natter – These short talks aim to provide quick tips and pointers which we hope all students and staff can take away and use in their own life to help them with their wellbeing.
MyMoodCoach - Learn about your emotions, develop resilience, and build well-being by using the MyMoodCoach App. Researchers from top universities across Europe, including the University of Exeter, are learning how emotions and well-being change over time in young adults. Sign up to the study here, receive our free app, learn about your own emotions and support cutting edge science.
Other apps – the Fika app is available to students to download. Fika is an app designed to improve your mental fitness and you can access from your app store and register with your University email. The UniWellBeing app can also help you to improve your wellbeing and resilience and you can find out more about it here.
Workshops & Webinars - Wellbeing Services offer a number of webinars that you can attend from home via your laptop or PC. Webinars are interactive online workshops that allow you to participate and learn new ways to approach different areas of your life. Some previous webinars have focused on dealing with exam stress and improving sleep.
Want to know what help is best for you? Please check out this summary leaflet.
Last chance to complete Census 2021
Census Day was on Sunday 21 March, but you still have time complete your census form now. Don’t worry, it only takes ten minutes per person, your data is confidential, and you can complete it online.
By taking part, you’ll be helping to make sure students get the services needed now and in the future - like jobs, training and university transport links. That’s why wherever you are, it’s important you complete the census.
If you’re currently living at your university address, you should have received a letter containing an access code made up of numbers and letters to complete the census online. You should complete the form using your university address that you were living in on 21 March.
If you are not currently living at your university address and cannot get your access code, you need to request a new one online. Your code will be sent via SMS.
If you’re staying at home temporarily, you need to complete the census questionnaire for your university address as well as being included on the household questionnaire.
Request a code and complete your census now at www.census.gov.uk or for more information, visit www.census.gov.uk/students. Thank you for your help in taking part in Census 2021.
Online Module Change
Over the summer you will have the opportunity to request changes to your module allocation via the ‘Online Module Change’ process. The key dates are:
Business School Postgraduate January Starters 10 - 21 May
Undergraduate students returning in 2021/22 12 -19 July
Further details will be provided in in the coming months, and the Online Module Change web page will be updated as further information becomes available.
Free yoga sessions are back!
Free yoga sessions are being held every Tuesday at 2.30pm as part of your Students’ Union Together Wherever campaign. Sign up here.
Penryn Campus Gym re-opened
Team Flexsi would like to welcome you back to the gym. 90-minutes sessions are bookable online with a capacity of 20 individuals at a time.
Showers are available and can be booked in advance by contacting sportscentre@fxplus.ac.uk or 01326 370770.
Outdoor classes, (HIIT, BootCamp, etc), will take place on the Multi Use Games Area, (MUGA), and can be booked online. Classes will be 45 / 60-minutes long, with a capacity of 11 individuals. The ‘Studio Class Timetable’ is due to resume on Monday 17 May.
The Sports Hall is currently unavailable, as it continues to be used for Covid testing. All memberships have been automatically extended, for the duration that the Sports Centre has remained closed.
Mental Health Awareness Week – Sports Centre free session
To mark Mental Health Awareness Week, the Sports Centre is offering you a free session. You can choose one from a free gym session / studio class / MUGA session for up to 12 individuals. A personal profile is required, to redeem your promotional code against a gym session/studio class, which you can create here. The promotional code is Mentalhealth1.
These offers are valid between, Mon 10 - Fri 16 May. Bookings open on Mon 3 May.
Bonfire ban
You may not realise that there are by-laws in place which mean that open fires aren’t allowed on Falmouth’s beaches to keep them clean, safe and tidy for all users.
BBQs are permitted on Gyllyngvase, but only in the designated area to the left-hand side of the beach (look for the signs when entering the beach). This helps support the hard work that goes into ensuring that Gylly retains its valued Blue Flag status, by reducing the debris on its sands. Please make sure you dispose of BBQs or any other rubbish responsibly.
New Exeplore episode: Climate change - community is key
When it comes to trying to reduce our carbon footprint and make changes in the face of the climate emergency, local knowledge from communities is vital, according to Professor Patrick Devine-Wright. It's something he knows about on a practical level as well as an academic one, as he talks about his role as Chair of the Devon Carbon Plan and the actions needed to reach net zero in the county. We also discuss the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on climate policy and changes in recent years to the narrative.
You can listen to this episode of Exeplore on Spotify and Apple Podcasts.
Join a global event to mark Earth Day
Undergraduate Skye Frewin has organised a global online event as part of her internship with the University’s Student Business Partnership scheme. The ‘Youth Voices on Global Climate Justice’ event will take place on Sunday 25 April at 2pm, using zoom. Guests include Jerome Foster, an appointee to President Biden’s Environmental Justice Advisory Council, alongside other young people from Germany, Sweden, Columbia, and the Philippines, who will be telling their fascinating stories in celebration of Earth Day. Register for free here.
Apply to be a Global Chums Cornwall Mentor
Whether you’re an international student, returning from a study abroad year or perhaps just keen to meet people from around the world, consider becoming a “Global Chums Mentor” and support new students settling into life at the Uni. Global Chums offers a great opportunity to develop leadership skills and enhance cultural awareness while honing communication and problem-solving skills - it looks great on your CV too! Share your own experiences as a student here and join the scheme, applications are open now.
Short courses in French, Italian and Spanish
Although we don’t know yet about foreign travel this summer, we can still refresh our languages and have a little taste of life abroad. So, why not join one of the short online courses on offer? Bring along some suitable nibbles and parle un peu de français, habla un poco de español, or parla un po’ di italiano. Details are accessible on the StudyHub Languages pages.
Last term, students said...
“I loved the energy in our classes. It was definitely the highlight of each week”.
“The course is really creative and lessons are always memorable and fun!”
“I particularly enjoy the breakout room conversations, but I like the whole class, there's a good mix of all the different skills.”
Q&A with alumnus 220 Kid
The latest alumni video chat features current No.1 artist 220 Kid talking about his career and supporting Exeter.
Falmouth Spring Clean
The Falmouth Town team is looking for volunteers to support the annual Spring Clean, in a proactive effort to ready the town for the big year ahead, including G7, Tall Ships, Falmouth Week, Tour of Britain and more. See below for the two-hour organised cleans in the last week of April that they would love volunteers for:
Tuesday 27 April:
10am - 12pm – Litter pick/weeding in Opeways through Market Street, Church Street and Arwenack Street
1pm - 3pm – Litter pick/weeding up Killigrew, Kimberley and around the park
Thursday 29 April: 10am -12pm – Princess Pavilions gardening
Friday 30 April:
1pm - 3pm – Litter pick from Bar Road down to the sea front
10am - 12pm – Greenbank Gardens litter pick/gardening
Sunday 2 May: 10am – 12pm - Trescobeas Field litter pick in the field
Social distancing and all other necessary COVID-19 regulations need to be adhered to. The Falmouth town team will provide all equipment and face coverings. To confirm your participation or ask any questions, please contact Emma Webster - emma@falmouth.co.uk. More information can be found here.
Scam Prevalence and Prevention survey
Plymouth University and Devon & Cornwall Police are working in partnership to better understand scams affecting university students. You are invited to take part in this survey, which is anonymous, and takes around 5-10 minutes to complete. Upon completion there is an opportunity to be entered into a prize draw for a £10 Amazon Gift Card. Access the survey here.
Stress Awareness Month
At the Career Zone, we know - more than ever - that career planning can be a source of stress. To mark Stress Awareness Month this month we’re using our social media channels to highlight our range of online resources that can help you feel more confident about tackling life after University. We’ve got info on everything from how to research possible career paths, to acing interviews, and everything in-between. And if all that feels like too much choice, you can Live Chat with us Monday – Friday and let us guide you through the services and support that’s right for you. Find out more here.
All of the following events will be held online:
Thursday 22 April, 6-7:30pm, A conversation with Noam Chomsky and Ilan Pappé: On impasse, internationalism and radical change, Online via live stream on the IAIS YouTube channel
Sunday 25 April, 2-3pm, Youth Voices on Global Climate Justice
Every Tuesday, 2:30pm, Free online yoga sessions as part of your Students’ Union Together Wherever campaign. Sign up here.
It's another busy week at the Students' Union - check out their events here
Tell us what you think of this newsletter:
Get in touch with your feedback or news stories at: studentcomms@exeter.ac.uk
